Working Peoples Association (Indonesia)

Statement initiated by Working People Association
(Indonesia) and Network of Progressive Youth Burma

[If
your organisation would like to sign, please email:international@prp-indonesia.org.]

September 16, 2010 -- We, the undersigned organisations, strongly condemn the military junta of
Burma for its new decree to curb workers’ right to form trade unions and its
harsh punishments against any industrial action.

The military junta of Burma -- the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) -- decreed a new regulation on August 20, 2010, at a meeting in
Rangoon attended by industry employers, government ministers and Burmese
military officials, including Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the ministry of defence. It stated
that, whoever launches or participates in industrial protests demanding better
rights or conditions will be fired and blacklisted. The reason for the
decree, labour activists in Burma believe, is that the junta wants to prevent
further industrial action and employers don’t want their workers taking action
to demand better wages, so now they can fire those who protest and stop them
from getting jobs elsewhere.

June 25, 2010
-- As Israel stands increasingly isolated following its manufactured confrontation
on May 31, 2010, with the peace flotilla in which nine Turkish activists on the
Mavi Marmara were murdered, now is
the time to increase the pressure on Israel to lift the siege of Gaza.

Israel’s
criminal blockade of Gaza is aimed to collectively punish 1.5 million Gazans
for their choice of government.

The attack on
the flotilla was aimed at demoralising Palestinians and their supporters. But,
as we've seen from the global protests – particularly in Turkey and the Arab
world – it has backfired on the Netanyahu government. Turkey, once a close
political and military ally, has now distanced itself from Israel and supports
attempts to break the Gaza blockade.

January 9, 2010 -- Sydney -- The Socialist Alliance conference -- held January 2-5, 2010 -- was attended by representatives of a
number of parties and organisations overseas, who presented verbal
greetings to the conference. These were:

Abelardo Curbelo Padron, ambassador to Australia for the Republic of Cuba;

Sivaranjani Manickam, Socialist Party of Malaysia;

Reihana Mohideen, Party of the Labouring Masses, Philippines;

Peter Hughes, Socialist Worker New Zealand; and

Mike Treen, Unite, New Zealand.

The greetings below were sent by organisations and activists unable to attend the conference.

[Just prior to the Socialist Alliance conference, the Democratic Socialist Perspective voted to merge with the Socialist Alliance to strengthen left unity in Australia. For reports see HERE and HERE.]